Claims

1. An aquaculture biomass monitor system for use in estimating the size, density and biomass of a plurality of aquatic animals in a seacage, said system comprising: (a) an acoustic transducer with associated transceiver, said acoustic transducer with associated transceiver capable of generating at least one acoustic signal within said seacage and receiving a plurality of acoustic echo signals from within said seacage, each of said acoustic echo signals received corresponding to an aquatic animal; (b) a plurality of sensors, said plurality of sensors capable of receiving a plurality of sensor measurements; (c) a mobile platform, said acoustic transducer with associated transceiver and said plurality of sensors located on said mobile platform; and (d) a processor, said processor connected to said transceiver and capable of converting said plurality of acoustic echo signals and said plurality of sensor measurements into screen displays and reports.

2. The system of claim 1, said plurality of sensors chosen from a group consisting of: (a) a temperature sensing device; (b) a position sensing device; and (c) an orientation sensing device.

3. The system of claim 1, said mobile platform capable of traversing a transect pattern.

4. An instrument control interface by which an aquaculture biomass monitor system can be controlled; wherein said instrument control interface provides system control parameters chosen from a group consisting of: (a) a plurality of acoustic parameters; (b) at least one transect pattern; (c) at least one rate of travel; and (d) at least one editable data field.

5. A method of estimating size, density and biomass of a plurality of aquatic animals in a seacage, said method comprising: (a) locating a mobile platform on surface water of a seacage, said mobile platform including an acoustic transducer with associated transceiver, a plurality of sensors and a processor connected to said transceiver; (b) generating at least one acoustic signal from said acoustic transducer with associated transceiver; (c) receiving a plurality of acoustic echo signals and a plurality of sensor measurements; and (d) converting said plurality of acoustic echo signals and said plurality of sensor measurements into screen displays and reports using said processor.

6. The system of claim 1, said system being controlled by an instrument control interface, said instrument control interface providing system control parameters chosen from a group consisting of: (a) a plurality of acoustic parameters; (b) at least one transect pattern; (c) at least one rate of travel; and (d) at least one editable data field.